SAS (Statistical Analysis Software) is a widely used software for Data Analytics. It is a software suite that can alter, mine, manage and retrieve data from different sources and performs statistical analysis on it. It is also used for data management, statistical analysis, report writing, business modelling, application development, and data warehousing. It provides a point-and-click graphical user interface for non-technical users and more advanced options through the SAS language. This is a helpful tool through which you can use qualitative techniques and procedures that allow you to increase employee productivity and business profit.

In SAS, data is extracted and categorized in tables which helps you to identify and analyze data patterns. This is a software suite that allows you to manage the advanced analysis, business intelligence, predictive analysis, and data to work effectively in competing and changing business situations. Besides, SAS is a platform independent software, which means that you can run SAS on any operating system like Linux, Windows, Mac, Ubuntu etc.

SAS provides extensive support to programmatically transform and analyze data in the comparison of drag and drop interface of other BI tools. It provides very fine control over data manipulation and analysis, which is its USP.

Most common definitions:

SAS program

SAS program contains data phase to retrieve and manipulate data, and the PROC phase to analyze data. There is a series of statements in each phase. The DATA phase contains executable statements that are responsible for the actions taken by a software, and the declarative statement that provides instructions for reading data sets or changing the format of the data.

DATA Phase

There are two steps in the DATA phase: compilation and execution. In the compilation phase, syntax errors are identified, and declarative statements are processed. Later, in the execution phase each executable statement is processed sequentially. The data set is organized into tables with the columns and rows. Columns called “Variables” and rows “Observations.” In addition, each piece of data set has a descriptor and a value.

PROC

The PROC stage contains PROC statements that are called named procedures. Analysis and reporting on data sets are done by procedures for data analysis, statistics, and graphics production. There are more than 300 processes, and each one has a substantial body of programming and statistical work. PROC statements can sort data, display results and perform other operations.

Macros

Macros in SAS, are the pieces of code or variables that are coded once and referred to perform repetitive tasks. Data of SAS can be published in PDF, HTML, Excel and other formats via output delivery system, which was first introduced in 2007.

The SAS Enterprise Guide has a point-and-click interface of SAS software. It generates code for manipulation or automated analysis and does not require SAS programming experience to use.

The SAS software suite contains more than 200 components; some are given below.

SAS/STAT – Statistical analysis
SAS/OR – Operations research
Base – Basic procedures and data management
IML – Interactive matrix language
SAS/INSIGHT – Data mining
SAS/QC – Quality control
SAS/GRAPH – Graphics and presentation
EBI – Suite of Business Intelligence Applications
Enterprise Miner – data mining
ETS – Econometrics and Time Series Analysis
SAS/AF – Applications facility
SAS/PH-Clinical trial analysis
Enterprise Guide – GUI based code editor & project manager
SAS Grid Manager – Manager of SAS grid computing environment

Overview

‘What is SAS’ is the question that usually comes to our mind. But the first question should be why this was developed so, the answer is, some statistical tools are required to handle tons of data generated each day. To handle this data in a systematic manner, SAS was developed. Creating and analyzing data is the main task of SAS followed by making a strategic decision. It can be said directly that the reason behind development of data analysis tools like SAS, is the excess of data that leads generation of data analysis and SAS does it effectively.

The SAS programming language is considered to be a science of data-driven decision-making. Technology can bring us in structured readable data from raw data; it also predicts many solutions of a problem. But ultimately the call is for humans to make the final decision. It uses the repetitive and procedural exploration of past data to handle business decisions.

Let’s consider it with an example, have you ever wondered why there is a billing point in the mall, which is full of gum and candy on its edges. This is not an unplanned step, but rather a strategically decided decision. Let’s see that, when parents are on the billing counter with their children, they wait for their turn. Gums and candy lure children and they demand for it. To prevent creating a scene at the counter parents have to buy it reluctantly.

This leads to increased sales of candies and gum. This is what does by business analytics, observes trends and patterns, and manages the business to earn profit.

Features of SAS

SAS is the pioneer in data analytics because of its beneficial features. There are several key features that makes SAS superior in business analytics.

We can transport SAS in the various computing environment, and it works exactly the same on all platforms, except for an interactive window. The key features of SAS Programming Language are given below:

1. Strong Data Analysis Abilities

Strong Data Analysis Ability is the first feature of SAS software and programming language. SAS is like a complete package for data analysis section. Its analysis ranges from simple figures to advanced levels. For example, it plots bar graphs with the data provided to calculate the correlation between complex data sets.

The best part about SAS software is the Inbuilt Library because there are all necessary packages required for analysis and reporting of data.

2. Flexible 4 Generation Programming Language (4GL)

SAS is a 4GL programming language, and that is its essential feature because the SAS programming language has an easy-to-learn syntax. More than that the code of SAS programming language is like statements, and these statements are clear and concise instructions to the systems.

Inbuilt libraries of SAS has reduced coding for common applications to provide an opportunity to modularize our job. It is also user-friendly for non-programming users.

SAS is an interactive language. Its log window is like a mirror that keeps giving instructions to the user. It provides notes and marks error. There is also DS2, which helps in data manipulation. Complex data can be manipulated in its place in the database.

3. SAS Studio

SAS Studio is a unique feature among SAS features. We can easily access SAS Studio from any device and with any web browser. There is no need for client installation. All libraries and data files that are needed in the SAS program can be accessed through any web browser.

It is very instructive. As soon as someone starts typing, the autocomplete feature gives us indications of various procedures. For further guidance, pop-up syntax and parameter list are displayed.

It also helps you to create and add personalized code snippets and add them to the snippet library.

We can point and click interface; it guides us during the analysis process at different levels.

4. Support for Various Data Format

Support for different data formats is another feature of SAS. SAS has the ability to read data from any type of file, any format, and even from files with missing data.

SAS provides support for SQL. It has an extensive database of character encoding; there is full support for the most commonly used languages. SAS programming language also maintains singularity, so that SAS works with data in many languages.

5. Management

SAS management is one of the significant features of SAS software. It has SAS Environmental Manager that alerts, monitors and manages the analytics environment. The Extended Java Graphical User Interface administers SAS functions in SAS Management Console.

We can also execute a failed program entirely in the restart mode. It starts again from the same stage where the program failed.

XML Engines have many functions like importing and exporting XML documents and creating XML maps.

Application Response Measurement Interface looks at various applications and checks for the availability of transactions.

6. Report Output Format

SAS is capable of displaying analytical results and the number of reporting options. Base SAS 9.4 has high-quality graphics such as ODS statistical graphics, ODS graphics designers and editors, etc.

We can save and create reports in standard formats such as RTF, PowerPoint, and pdf. We can also save them as eBooks and i-books; this gives us the luxury of visual analytics.

We can customize the output according to the hierarchy of customer requirements. The output can be ported to different places.

7. Data Encryption Algorithms

SAS ensures that security holds the essence of how we provide access and for that SAS 9.4 has a security feature called SAS / SECURE. We can also encrypt SAS data on the disk through various algorithms.

So, it was all about SAS characteristics. Hope you like our explanation.

Summary

In this SAS features, we have studied that SAS programming is a complete package for any type of statistical work. It also provides service support in all platforms except one. The libraries in the SAS include all those that are generally necessary for analysis. Its encryption feature makes it secure and portable for various devices. Besides, if still, you have any questions about SAS attributes, feel free to ask in the comments section.

So, this brings us to the end of blog. This Tecklearn ‘Overview of SAS and its Features’ blog helps you with commonly asked questions if you are looking out for a job in SAS. If you wish to learn SAS and build a career in Data Analytics domain, then check out our interactive, SAS Training for SAS BASE Certification Training, that comes with 24*7 support to guide you throughout your learning period. Please find the link for course details:

https://www.tecklearn.com/course/sas-training-for-sas-base-certification/

SAS Training for SAS BASE Certification Training

About the Course

SAS Certification Training is intended to make you an expert in SAS programming and Analytics. You will be able to analyse and write SAS code for real problems, learn to use SAS to work with datasets, perform advanced statistical techniques to obtain optimized results with Advanced SAS programming. In this SAS online training course, you will also learn SAS macros, Machine Learning, PROC SQL, procedure, statistical analysis and decision trees. You will also work on real-life projects and prepare for the SAS Certified Base Programmer certification exam. Upon the completion of this SAS online training, you will have enough proficiency in reading spreadsheets, databases, using SAS functions for manipulating this data and debugging it.

Why Should you take SAS Training?

The average salary for a Business Intelligence Developer skilled in SAS is $100k (PayScale salary data)
SAS, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Netflix, Accenture & other MNCs worldwide are using SAS for their Data analysis activities and advance their existing systems.
SAS is a Leader in 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Data Science Platform.

What you will Learn in this Course?

Introduction to SAS

Introduction to SAS
Installation of SAS
SAS windows
Working with data sets
Walk through of SAS windows like output, search, editor etc

SAS Enterprise Guide

How to read and subset the data sets
SET Statement
Infile and Infile Options
SAS Format -Format Vs Informat

SAS Operators and Functions

Using Variables
Defining and using KEEP and DROP statements
Output Statement
Retain Statement
SUM Statement

Advanced SAS Procedures

PROC Import
PROC Print
Data Step Vs Proc
Deep Dive into Proc

Customizing Datasets

SAS Arrays
Useful SAS Functions
PUT/INPUT Functions
Date/Time Functions
Numeric Functions
Character Functions

SAS Format and SAS Graphs

SAS Format statements
Understanding PROC GCHART, various graphs, bar charts: pie, bar

Sorting Techniques

NODUP
NODUKEY
NODUP Vs NODUKEY

Data Transformation Function

Character functions, numeric functions and converting variable type
Use functions in data transformation

Deep Dive into SAS Procedures, Functions and Statements

Find Function
Scan Function
MERGE Statement
BY Statement
Joins
Procedures Vs Function
Where Vs If
What is Missover
NMISS
CMISS

PROC SQL

SELECT statement
Sorting of Data
CASE expression
Other SELECT statement clauses
JOINS and UNIONS

Using SAS Macros

Benefits of SAS Macros
Macro Variables
Macro Code Constituents and Macro Step
Positional Parameters to Macros

Got a question for us? Please mention it in the comments section and we will get back to you.

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